neighbor kitty

[mystik spiral]

I agree that inside/outside cats is a personal decision (if the outside cats can be safe). It just makes me kind of sad to hear about these kind of kits who seem to be SO starved for attention... I'm glad your "Callie" is well fed, but it sounds like she could use some more attention from her family...

Ah, dang, if I could, I would take every neglected and homeless cat in the world into my home!!!

 

[addiebee]

Originally Posted by Mystik Spiral

I agree that inside/outside cats is a personal decision (if the outside cats can be safe). It just makes me kind of sad to hear about these kind of kits who seem to be SO starved for attention... I'm glad your "Callie" is well fed, but it sounds like she could use some more attention from her family...
Ah, dang, if I could, I would take every neglected and homeless cat in the world into my home!!!

Then again, some cats are just social butterflies. As was posted above, the owners do not have a good track record with pets.

 

[d3sire86]

Originally Posted by AddieBee

It is not a "personal" decision. It is against condo association rules to let companion animals roam like that. So, it isn't just the dangers posed to this cat. This kind of thing pisses people off. Some people may not look at it as benevolently as me. Get it? I want the condo manager to speak to the people first. If you read all the posts - you see where I offer to help them (cat's owners) convert him into an indoor-only cat.

I did read all the posts and I think it is great that you would be willing to help this guys humans convert him to an indoor only cat. What I am saying is that ultimately the decision is really theirs to make... I understand that the condo has rules against this. I am not sure where you live but condo rules are rarely enforced. They might talk to the owners about keeping the cat indoors but if they let the cat out what are they going to do? Probably nothing. In my municipality cats are allowed to roam as long as they are registered with the city (again not sure where you live or what the laws are there).

I get that cats roaming bothers some people. One of my neighbors hates cats and if the neighborhood cat 'Callie' steps foot on their property the elderly woman that lives there comes out with her broom to shoo her away. This is probably on the tame side as to what some cat haters will do. There are definite risks to letting your cat outdoors but personally I would rather see an indoor/outdoor cat who does have a home to go to and people who feed him/hopefully take him to the vet than a cat wind up in a shelter... I know that it is not your intention to take this cat to a shelter and that you would be looking to re-home him but I guess what I am saying is that there are so many abused and homeless cats and this guy doesn't seem to be either....

I don't know.... I would try to find out for sure where this cat lives and speak with his humans. I would be afraid through that with the threat of having the condo association enforce the policy that they might just get rid of the cat...

I agree that "Callie" may be a little starved for attention but many cats are. Us humans are usually away 8 hour days and the cats are left home alone. While "Callie" may be at risk to many outdoor dangers she certainly gets a lot of attention from all the neighborhood kids.

Again just my honest opinion....

 

[addiebee]

Originally Posted by d3sire86

I did read all the posts and I think it is great that you would be willing to help this guys humans convert him to an indoor only cat. What I am saying is that ultimately the decision is really theirs to make... I understand that the condo has rules against this. I am not sure where you live but condo rules are rarely enforced. They might talk to the owners about keeping the cat indoors but if they let the cat out what are they going to do? Probably nothing. In my municipality cats are allowed to roam as long as they are registered with the city (again not sure where you live or what the laws are there).

I get that cats roaming bothers some people. One of my neighbors hates cats and if the neighborhood cat 'Callie' steps foot on their property the elderly woman that lives there comes out with her broom to shoo her away. This is probably on the tame side as to what some cat haters will do. There are definite risks to letting your cat outdoors but personally I would rather see an indoor/outdoor cat who does have a home to go to and people who feed him/hopefully take him to the vet than a cat wind up in a shelter... I know that it is not your intention to take this cat to a shelter and that you would be looking to re-home him but I guess what I am saying is that there are so many abused and homeless cats and this guy doesn't seem to be either....

I don't know.... I would try to find out for sure where this cat lives and speak with his humans. I would be afraid through that with the threat of having the condo association enforce the policy that they might just get rid of the cat...

I agree that "Callie" may be a little starved for attention but many cats are. Us humans are usually away 8 hour days and the cats are left home alone. While "Callie" may be at risk to many outdoor dangers she certainly gets a lot of attention from all the neighborhood kids.

Again just my honest opinion....

That's fine. You are entitled. I am not about to rehome him unless that is what they want. And I am not about to call Animal Control. I fear for this sweet boy - that is my motivation. I would rather that condo mgt say something because If I approach these people, based on descriptions given to me of their behavior, I suspect I would be told to F-off and get the door slammed in my face. People don't like unsolicited advice. That is why I opted to go this route.

And for the record, I am PAINFULLY aware of how many unwanted animals there are out there. I have been involved in animal rescue and welfare for several years and have a house full of cats saved from euthanasia. I have had a hand in saving many, many more over the years. Dogs, too. And have been actively involved in lobbying for change at the local and state levels for better sheltering policies and the termination of pound seizure and gas chambers.

Callie is lucky. You live in a pet-friendly area. This is not the case for everyone else. Been involved in rescuing animals where people have threatened to poison, shoot, drown, throw away, trap and call AC where the animal would end up being PTS, etc. We have had cats and dogs come in that have been intentionally hurt b/c they were trespassing and someone didn't like it. Recent memory serves me that we had cats come in with arrow wounds, BB gun wounds.... Were these pets or strays? Doesn't really matter. People are jerks, dontcha know.

I also have a feeling that the condo manager won't do anything. This won't be a high priority for him. And then I will have to think about my next step. In the meantime, the cat is welcome on my property. I cannot speak for anyone else.

 

[mystik spiral]

Originally Posted by d3sire86

I agree that "Callie" may be a little starved for attention but many cats are. Us humans are usually away 8 hour days and the cats are left home alone. While "Callie" may be at risk to many outdoor dangers she certainly gets a lot of attention from all the neighborhood kids.

I think that's great for Callie (and you and the neighborhood kids for that matter!

). But like Addie said, it's not that common to find such a pet-friendly area. This is just my opinion, though I think a lot of people on this forum will agree, when I chose to adopt Holland, that was a pledge I made to take care of her. I signed a form that I would be responsible for her, and IIRC (I don't have the contract on me at the moment) it specifically stated that I was agreeing to feed her, keep her inside, take care of her medical issues, play with her, etc.

Yes, most people are at work for 8+ hours a day, but the same goes for dogs and other animal companions, not just cats. But we have to manage to find time to provide for their basic needs.

Now, I know (again, like Addie said) that some cats are just social butterflies, and would take pets from anyone they can get 24/7, so I don't know for sure that Callie (or Addie's neighbor's little guy) are neglected. And I also know that not everyone adopts their pets from shelters like the one where I found Holland. But when you make the decision to "own" a pet, you really should give them the care and attention they need.

I already wrote about it, so I won't go into the specifics, but I had a scare yesterday where I thought Holland had gotten out of the house. She is micro-chipped, but she's an indoor-only, so I don't put a collar on her. I know the neighbors very well, but I wouldn't trust any of them to catch her (if they even could) and take her to a vet to check her chip. Not only that, but I certainly don't trust anyone driving down the road not to hit and kill her, or a coyote not to eat her! It was a severe panic situation for me, so I don't really get how people can let their cats roam free. At least most dogs will stay in their yard, but cats are agile things, and they tend to do what they want...

I don't know, and again - JMO - but from MY experience with my cat, I love her way too much to trust her to the outdoors...

 

[taryn]

Nuts would walk up to anyone looking for attention and I think Attitude would as well(they are both inside), they aren't neglected, Nuts would also try to make friends with every cat he saw(he loves other cats.) Goldie Jr loves everyone and will want attention from anyone. We live out in the middle of no where, no one bothers the cats, I feed them, they don't do anything beyond teasing Mitzi's dogs, well out of reach of them. They enjoy trying to get birds from the feeder(it's too high for them to get near the birds, not to mention the birds know about the cats so they do keep an eye out for them.)

Mama won't let anyone near her except us and even then it has to be on her terms. Runt is never around here much(since it became summer), but he will generally accept attention from people. Half-tail is afraid of her own shadow and half the time is afraid of us. Biter like attention but doesn't go seeking it. Goldie Jr will take attention from whoever is willing to give it, so will Blue. Blue lets me pick him up and so does Goldie Jr. Blue will actually let me carry him into the house(I do put him back outside.) I didn't ask for any of these cats, they came along because someone dumped them(well blue and Mama and everyone else is from Mama.)

I brought Attitude and Nuts inside after Attitude wasn't there in the morning when I fed them around 7 or 8 am, hadn't seen her all day was frantic asked the neighbor about her if she had seen her and came back(at 5:30 PM mind you) and found her chowing down at the food bowl. Got Maude vaccinated against FeLV and decided to see how things went with them inside(thankfully they already understood the concept of a litter box.)

I do worry about the ones outside, if I don't see one I worry.

Some cats are more friendly than others. The calico couldn't have been more friendly if she tried, but I think she was just thrilled to see a human after her family disappeared. There was a grey cat who would try to hop in your car with you. I see the frantic cats that have been dumped, it bothers me. Like I said with the outside cats some are more friendly than others, Like I said Goldie Jr(who has lived outside his entire life) loves attention and he has never been a house cat, then you have Mama who doesn't like people other than Paul and I, she doesn't run she just walks the other way. There is Half-tail who is afraid of her own shadow and will even run from us at times and wouldn't approach a human to save her life.

The people around here ignore the cats or just shoo them out of their yards(most don't, they don't care.)

Some people will hurt cats but most won't do it where this a chance of getting caught, they'll just chase it off.

Taryn

 

[d3sire86]

AddieBee,

I was not trying to come across as rude or suggest that I know better than you. I love that you care enough to try and help this boy and I applaud you for the work you have done with animals. I do know that you have the very best intentions.

Perhaps I am wrong but I just got the impression that you were planning on rehoming him without talking to his 'family'. You might be right, his family may have a bad track record with animals. He might be neglected and in that case I fully agree that rehoming would be in his best interest. However I wouldn't want to jump to conclusions without knowing for sure that this guy is being neglected. I do think it is possible from my experience that he is a loved indoor/outdoor cat who would be deeply missed if he were suddenly rehomed.

I am not trying to say that this absolutely the case and I do not know the details as well as you do or the specifics about the kind of area he is being allowed to roam. I am just simply suggesting this as a possibility.

My boys are indoor cats, they go outside only on a harness with full supervision but we have had a few escapes. My boy Milo, seems to think that I don't take him out enough and will wait by the door and take off any chance he can get (he is neutered, he just enjoys being outside). On a few occasions he has gotten out. I go and look for him and he never wanders far but I can't imagine how heartbroken I would be if someone thinking that he is a stray or that I am just an irresponsible pet owner decided to keep or rehome him.

I know that this isn't the case with this particular cat and that he is being let out on a regular basis but in my opinion choosing to allow your cat to be indoor/outdoor does not mean that you love them any less or that you are a bad pet owner (perhaps they just don't realize the dangers or feel that the benefits outweigh the risks). I agree that there are many dangers but some will argue that their quality of life is better when they are allowed to go out. I know if my Milo could chose he would be an indoor/outdoor. I just feel that the evidence (well fed, fur in good condition, friendly, neutered) suggests that he MAY be being cared for.

As stated above I am only speaking from my own experience and I do not know yours. In my area we have a lot of indoor/outdoor cats. My neighbors Siamese goes outside and I know that she is loved and that her humans would miss her if she one day did not return. I know that when you let you cat out there is always the chance that they won't come home due to the dangers ie. cars, other animals, horrible people putting down poison etc. but I do feel that choosing to let your cat go out alone is an individual choice just like how parents of human children decide whether or not to allow their kids to take the bus alone or walk home from school etc.

I am not trying to convince you that cats should be allowed outdoors on their own (or stir up a debate). I do not advocate letting cats roam. I keep mine indoors because I am aware of the dangers and keeping them inside is the best option for me and my cats. I do however understand why some let theirs outside and I don't think that all indoor/outdoors are necessarily worse off or neglected.

I think that writing to your condo board and offering to help this family was a great thing to do. Hopefully the will take you up on your offer

If you don't hear anything back from the condo association I do hope that you try to make contact with his family before proceeding with your next step. Perhaps they will be receptive to your advice, maybe they wont.

Good luck!